The Palm Oil Story

The last thing on your mind when you have a slice of toast or pizza, snacking on biscuits, or taking a shower, is whether or not you're contributing to the deterioration of fragile ecosystems and tropical rainforests thousands of miles away. However, the reality of it is that you may have, as a majority of food and household products you come in contact with daily contain palm oil, or its derivatives.

If you've ever heard of palm oil, then you'd probably think that it's bad news. Indeed, when produced unsustainably, palm oil production can harm tropical rainforests, threaten wildlife such as orang utans, elephants and tigers, and affect the communities that depend on these forests for their livelihoods. Issues such as deforestation, climate change, land rights, and labour rights violations continue to plague the industry.

Despite the the challenges and negativity surrounding it, palm oil has also proven to have positive contributions environmentally, socially and economically. As the consumption of this commodity continues to grow annually, it is evident that sourcing and consumption of certified sustainable palm oil (CSPO) is fast becoming the solution to the negative impacts linked to palm oil production and consumption.

DID YOU KNOW?

... That when you grab a pizza for lunch, or treat yourself to some ice cream, you are most likely consuming palm oil? Brushing our teeth, washing our hands with a bar of soap, shaving or putting on lipstick all form part of our daily routine - but did you know that all those products contain palm oil?